Lollipop didn't exactly take the Android world by storm when it first launched. Early adoption was slow enough that it made no real impact in usage share stats for the first couple of months. People are starting to take to Google's latest dessert-flavored OS, however -- it's finally on the official radar. Google's data now shows that about 1.6 percent of active Android users were using Lollipop as of the start of February. That's certainly not a lot, but it's clear that all those Nexuses and early Lollipop upgrades (most notably from HTC, LG and Motorola) count for something.

You might not be happy that Google isn't fixing a web security flaw in your older Android phone, but the search giant now says that it has some good reasons for holding off. As the company's Adrian Ludwig explains, it's no longer viable to "safely" patch vulnerable, pre-Android 4.4 versions of WebView (a framework that lets apps show websites without a separate browser) to prevent remote attacks. The sheer amount of necessary code changes would create legions of problems, he claims, especially since developers are introducing "thousands" of tweaks to the open source software every month.

You know what goes really well together? Christmas and video games. This year we've noticed a bit of a trend: games giving away free stuff in light of the holiday. Weather, err, whether it's snow covering Los Santos in GTA Online, a six-hour trial of Madden or online multiplayer for Killer Instinct Classic, there's no shortage of goodies to keep your console (maybe you recently unwrapped a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One?) busy for the next few days. Let's recap, shall we? In addition to the aforementioned inclement weather southern San Andreas is experiencing, for a limited time you can don a gingerbread mask in GTA Online and start lethal snowball fights in addition to getting a few unspecified gifts for your inventory tomorrow.

Now that Android 5.0 Lollipop is finally rolling out to devices around the globe, you might be wondering just how much of an impact it's making on the Android ecosystem. The short answer: not much. Google has released its latest Android usage stats, and Lollipop doesn't even register yet -- in other words, less than 0.1 percent of Google Play users have moved to the new software. That's not surprising given that both the upgrade and Lollipop-native devices like the Nexus 6 are weeks old at best, but it suggests that the new OS will take a while before it makes its presence known.

In case there was any doubt that KitKat now has a solid foothold in the Android world, Google just offered some proof. Its usage data for early August shows that KitKat is on more than a fifth of active Android devices, at 20.9 percent. That's a healthy improvement over July (17.9 percent), and a big leap over the 14.9 percent we saw in June. The folks in Mountain View aren't explaining the steady growth, but it's easy to figure out what's going on -- big-name devices like the LG G3 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S are bringing this latest OS flavor to a wider audience, and many older gadgets are still getting upgrades.

You know how Apple was keen to point out that only 9 percent of Android users (technically, 8.5 percent) were running KitKat in May? Well, that figure's now out of date. Google has published fresh usage stats which show that 13.6 percent of Android owners are using KitKat as of early June. That's still far from a majority, but it represents a 60 percent jump in a single month. It's not hard to see why the newer OS would be making such big strides. Major new phones like the HTC One and Galaxy S5 have had more time on the market, and KitKat upgrades are still making their way to older gadgets.

After months of treading water, Android 4.4 KitKat is finally taking off. Google reports that 5.3 percent of Android users are running the newer OS version as of early April; that's more than twice the 2.5 percent that it claimed one month earlier. There's no official explanation for the jump, but it's most likely thanks to a wave of KitKat upgrades from HTC, LG and Samsung. Most older versions lost share as a result. It could be a long, long time before KitKat overtakes Jelly Bean (which dipped to 61.4 percent), but the transition is under way -- and it's only likely to accelerate now that flagships like the Galaxy S5 and new One are reaching store shelves.

If you see BlackBerry announcing a million or so new users in the next few days, it's not because the company's finally seeing an increase in sales. It's because Alicia Keys' ex-employer has kept its promise to launch BBM for Android 2.3 on Google Play after weeks of beta testing. The previous Android version of the cross-platform messenger only worked on devices running Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) or higher, but existing users can now reach more of their friends. After all, Gingerbread still powers a large number of Android devices worldwide, since low-cost handsets are especially popular in developing markets. Unfortunately, Windows Phone users still have to sit out BBM convos, but those in Canada can at least demand BlackBerry donuts from friends as consolation.

BBM for Android has been installed millions of times since its (bumpy) launch, but that's not enough for the folks in Waterloo. Today BlackBerry has confirmed what many already suspected: it's planning to launch a version of BBM for phones still running Android 2.3 in February. Those first versions only ran on Ice Cream Sandwich or later, and BlackBerry has been not-so-quietly scouting for Gingerbread beta testers for at least two weeks. It's not hard to see why the company wants to branch out further, especially since it's dealing with pressure from buzzy messaging apps like Snapchat and WhatsApp. And while it might feel ancient, Gingerbread still powers over a fifth of active Android devices. Lots of those phones are sold at cut-rate prices across the globe, so BlackBerry has a shot at maintaining its messaging mojo in developing markets... though pumping out cheap Foxconn-made phones should help too.

Google has released its first Android device share data for 2014, and it's now clear that many users are flocking to a newer OS version... just not the latest version. While the shiny new KitKat release did climb to 1.4 percent of active devices in January, Jelly Bean was the real winner -- the older software jumped from 54.5 percent in December to 59.1 percent this month. There's no real mystery as to what happened, though. KitKat remains limited to mostly Google hardware, whether it's the Nexus line or Motorola phones; we haven't quite reached that point where large numbers of third-party devices either get KitKat upgrades or ship with the revision pre-installed. That surge may come soon, however, and the team in Mountain View can at least take comfort in knowing that over 60 percent of Android's active customer base is reasonably up to speed.

Android fans running Gingerbread no longer have to sit out the Vine video craze. An updated Vine app now supports playback on the 2010-era Google OS, giving the many people using older Android phones a chance to see all the short clips they've been missing. They shouldn't expect to record clips, though -- Vine says that "device limitations" prevent Gingerbread users from creating their own content. That negates much of the app's reason for being, but the expanded support still represents a kindness toward those who'd otherwise be left out of the (video) loop.

KitKat may be the new kid on the Android block, but it's already faring quite well. Google's latest OS dashboard reveals that 1.1 percent of active Android devices are running the new platform roughly a month after it became available. Not that its arrival is slowing down Jelly Bean's growth, mind you. The older software now represents 54.5 percent of all Android use, thanks in part to a two-point surge in devices running Android 4.3. However well Jelly Bean is doing, we expect KitKat adoption to rise quickly -- both the Nexus 5 and the first official KitKat upgrades have only been around for a few weeks at most, and there are more updates on the way.

It may have taken almost a year and a half, but Google can at last say that the absolute majority of active Android devices are using some form of Jelly Bean. The company's OS dashboard shows that 52.1 percent of owners are running at least Android 4.1; most of those (37.3 percent of the total) rely on the oldest version, but Android 4.2's use has already doubled since August. Jelly Bean's reign may be short-lived, however. The milestone comes just as Android 4.4 KitKat is reaching the public -- given Google's focus on supporting as many devices as possible with the new OS, it may not be long before Jelly Bean is once again in the minority.

Too thrifty to buy a $199 Nexus 4, or even a $99 Lumia 520? BLU Products has you covered with three new smartphones in its Dash range. The line starts with the Dash Jr., a 3.5-inch dual-SIM phone that costs just $49 unlocked -- cheap enough that we (almost) don't mind its single-core Spreadtrum processor, 2G-only data, 2-megapixel camera and Android 2.3. If you can afford to splurge, the Dash Music 4.0 ($99) and Dash 5.0 ($129) jump to their namesake larger screens, 3G data, dual-core MediaTek chips, higher-resolution cameras and Android 4.2. BLU expects all three Dash handsets to ship before the end of September, so penny pinchers won't have long to wait. Check out press shots of the Dash Music 4.0 and Dash 5.0 after the break.

It's a new era, we tell ya. An era where Google can finally say that its latest build of Android is also the one being used by the greatest majority of Android users. For over a year, Android 4.1+ has been the most up-to-date build of Google's mobile OS, and yet, the greatest majority of those accessing the Play Store were using a build that was bordering on antediluvian. According to the official Developers Dashboard, the percentages have slid to a point where Android Jelly Bean -- which encompasses 4.1.x and 4.2.x -- now represents 37.9 percent of Play Store users. Gingerbread (v2.3.3 through 2.3.7) has fallen to second place with 34.1 percent, while Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3 through 4.0.4) holds down the bronze with 23.3 percent. Hit up the source link to view the full breakdown, and do us a solid -- if you know someone still using Donut, grab 'em a Christmas-in-July present.

Google's big shake-up of Android version metrics has already given us a better understanding of where the platform's active users truly stand. Now that we're a month into the new methodology, we have a good sense of where those users are going -- and they're moving to Jelly Bean in droves. Android 4.1 and 4.2 combined grew to represent 28.4 percent of regular usage, or enough to finally overtake Ice Cream Sandwich at 27.5 percent. Not surprisingly, the transition to the newer OS involved a balanced mix of users either upgrading from ICS (down by 1.8 percent) or transitioning from devices running Gingerbread or earlier (down 1.7 percent). It will be a long while before Jelly Bean becomes the dominant platform, if it ever does, but we're not expecting a slowdown in adoption when flagships like the Galaxy S 4 and One are luring many of us into an upgrade.

The beginning of another month marks yet another fancy pie chart on the Android Developers Dashboard consisting of the latest usage statistics. The Dashboard, which reports the percentage of users on each build of the OS based on Google Play Store traffic, indicates that a full 12 percent of Android owners are enjoying 4.1 Jelly Bean, while 29 percent are on Ice Cream Sandwich. This leaves a solid 45 percent of users still flaunting Gingerbread, and a mere 1.4 percent are taking advantage of the most recent build of Jelly Bean (Android 4.2) on a Nexus device. Diving a little deeper in the number crunching, it shows that 42.6 percent of all current Android users are sporting at least Ice Cream Sandwich or later. And to the 0.2 percent of you still clinging onto your Donut devices, we salute you.

Last year, we asked you to examine Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0, and your comments clustered around three trends -- better audio, better build and any OS that wasn't called Gingerbread. The Galaxy Player 4.2, therefore, offers audio that just isn't loud enough, a skinned version of Gingerbread and the sense that it was thrown together from leftover smartphone parts. As our reviewer judged, it's not a bad piece of kit, but one that was honed into being utterly mediocre. If you bought one, then it's time to play amateur PMP designer and tell us if you agree with our staff audiophile. What did you love, what did you hate and most importantly, what would you change?

The last time we checked out Google's Android Device Dashboard, penetration of the latest version had reached 1.8 percent of active hardware. A couple of months later and Android 4.1 / 4.2 Jelly Bean is accounting for more than 10 percent of devices that accessed Google Play in the last 14 days. The share of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices also grew to represent 29.1 percent of active hardware, and while 2.3 Gingerbread still has the largest slice, it slid below half to 47.6 percent. That means developers can more confidently taking advantage of the latest APIs, but while the environment is much improved over when the dashboard launched in 2009, those fragments still mean some hard choices on exactly what to target with apps. Hit the source link for a larger look at the current numbers.

There may be a size war brewing among Android-based infotainment system builders. Ca-Fi thought it was sitting pretty with its 6.2-inch unit earlier this year, but we're starting to think it was rankled by similarly-sized devices like Parrot's Asteroid Smart -- that would help explain its upcoming, 7-inch Dashlinq. Along with one-upping a nemesis, the double-DIN system brings multitouch zoom to a heavily customized (if slightly creaky) Android 2.3 interface. Otherwise, we're looking at a familiar, if fairly sophisticated approach: there's a dedicated media DSP, GPS navigation, an SD card slot for local content and internet access through 3G or WiFi. Ca-Fi expects the Dashlinq to arrive in January for €499 ($657), at which point we hope there's at least a momentary truce in the battle for the car's center stack.

It's not that often we see the worlds of baking and technology mix, but when Johan von Konow went about making a traditional gingerbread house for the holidays, he added a laser to the recipe. The engineer and tinkerer first went about designing an accurate, miniature 3D representation of his summer house in a CAD program, with the help of his wife. He then printed outlines of the necessary building blocks onto sheets of baked gingerbread, and used a 50-watt laser engraver to cut them out and score icing guides for the final touches later on. Burnt edges rendered the confectionary inedible, but as its final destination was no longer stomachs, raw lasagna sheets were added for structural support, and hot glue used to bind it all together. If you've got all the kit and are feeling inspired by the picture above, the design layout and project walkthrough are available at the source link below. Hansel and Gretel needn't be worried this time around -- the tech used creating this particular gingerbread house has attracted a different kind of aged tenant.

Perhaps it's because the holiday season is well upon us, but MetroPCS decided now was the perfect time to welcome Samsung's Galaxy Admire 4G to its growing portfolio of wallet-friendly handsets. With today's introduction of the overhauled Admire, the Wireless for All carrier is surely expanding on its LTE-on-a-budget promise, as the device comes priced at a mere $169 (and that's without a beloved two-year commitment, of course). Naturally, this means we can't expect many high-end, drool-inducing specs onboard, but that's not to say some folks out there won't appreciate the 3.65-inch, HVGA display, a 1GHz CPU, 3-megapixel rear shooter and a taste of Google's famed Gingerbread -- after all, there's always that other galactic brethren if you're interested in getting more bang for your buck. The Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G will be up for grabs starting today on the MetroPCS website, while those looking to stop at nearby brick-and-mortar shop are going to have to wait until tomorrow to pick one up.Gallery-172758

Americans who likes the Sony Xperia go's approach to lifeproof smartphone design won't have to live vicariously through their overseas friends anymore. Keeping up its recent habit of selling unlocked versions of niche devices, Sony is selling the toughened smartphone in the US as the Xperia advance. The 3.5-inch handset won't initially be a surprise to those who've had a peek at an international version, right through to the out-of-the-box Android 2.3 installation -- you'll be sitting in line for a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean like everyone else. For most, the advantage will rest in a dust- and water-resistant phone that can wield its 3G on AT&T or Straight Talk while being free to use at least basic GSM calling abroad. Be sure to shop around before committing to an Xperia advance, though. While Newegg's $250 price makes a reasonable case, the $300 official cost has our minds wandering to the much more powerful (if more fragile) Nexus 4.

The art of smishing (SMS-Phishing) has been practiced for some time, but a discovery by the wizards at NC State University has uncovered a new vulnerability that could bring the aforesaid act back into the spotlight. Xuxian Jiang's research team recently identified the hole and confirmed that it impacts Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean. Put simply, if an Android user downloads an infected app, the attacking program can "make it appear that the user has received an SMS, or text, message from someone on the phone's contact list or from trusted banks." This fake message can solicit personal information, such as passwords for user accounts. The team isn't going to disclose proof until Google patches it up, but the school has said that Google will be addressing it "in a future Android release." For now, however, Jiang recommends additional caution when downloading and installing apps from unknown sources, while also suggesting that folks pay close attention to received SMS text messages.

If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, T-Mobile announced the price and release date for the Optimus L9, carriers were announced in Canada for the ATIV S Windows Phone and ZTE released a low-priced Android smartphone for Virgin Mobile in the UK. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of October 22nd, 2012.